Upgrading React Native Skill for Claude: Move an App to a New RN Version

Makes Claude upgrade a React Native app to a newer version using official template diffs, then verify both iOS and Android builds.

Installs: 13.1K; on skills.sh
Stars: 1.7K; on GitHub
Files: 8; besides SKILL.md
Updated: Oct 2026; last repo commit

upgrading-react-native, from Callstack, gives Claude a repeatable upgrade routine. It finds your current React Native version, picks a target, downloads the matching rn-diff-purge template diff, and plans the work before editing. Dependencies are updated in a single install pass, native iOS and Android changes are merged from the diff, and an Expo layer is added only if expo is in package.json.

It ends with verification: both platforms must build, and tests, typecheck and lint pass or have documented failures. The skill bundles no scripts, but its reference files tell Claude to run npm or yarn installs, pod install, Android and Xcode builds and a few sudo commands. Do the upgrade on a clean branch.

Good for

React Native developers moving an app from one release to another
Teams combining a React Native upgrade with an Expo SDK upgrade
Monorepo owners who need the upgrade scoped to one app folder

Install upgrading-react-native

Claude Code

Copy this prompt.

Install the upgrading-react-native skill in Claude Code. Run this command:

npx skills@latest add callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill upgrading-react-native

Then check that it loaded and tell me how to use it.

2
Paste it into Claude Code. It shows the change and asks before running it.

Requires Node.js.

Pick one route. The skills CLI asks which assistant and installation scope to use. The README's pattern is --skill <name> for one skill and --skill '*' for all Callstack skills. The building-react-native-apps plugin bundle holds this skill with 4 other skills (react-native-best-practices, react-navigation, react-native-tv-best-practices, create-react-native-library); the repo tree shows no hooks, agents or MCP config in that plugin. The plugin command is built from the repo's Claude marketplace manifest (marketplace callstack-agent-skills), not from a README command. The skill needs your own React Native toolchain, so there is no Claude app upload route.

Built from the package data we hold. Not yet tested by us. Source.

What's in the skill

When it loads

Upgrades React Native apps to newer versions by applying rn-diff-purge template diffs, updating package.json dependencies, migrating native iOS and Android configuration, resolving CocoaPods and Gradle changes, and handling breaking API updates. Use when upgrading React Native, bumping RN version, updating from RN 0.x to 0.y, or migrating Expo SDK alongside a React Native upgrade.

Sections in SKILL.md

Overview
Typical Upgrade Sequence
When to Apply
Quick Reference
Problem → Skill Mapping

Key facts

Author: Callstack (callstackincubator organization)
License: MIT
Installs on skills.sh: 13,138 as of 2026-11-02
GitHub stars: 1,694 for the whole repo
Last commit to the repo: 2026-10-08
Files in the skill: 9 files including SKILL.md: agents/openai.yaml and 7 reference files
skills.sh audits: Gen Agent Trust Hub pass, Socket pass, Snyk pass
Needs: Node.js 20.19.4+, Java 17, Xcode 16.4+ with Command Line Tools, Android Studio

What it includes

Clean branch, package manager known, Node, Java, Xcode and Android Studio checked.
Also checks that the Xcode command line tools match; the fix it lists uses sudo xcode-select and sudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch.
Try: “Upgrade this app from React Native 0.76.9 to 0.78.2.”
Runs code · Prerequisites
Orders the phases and decides which add-ons apply.
Run the core diff workflow first, publish a short plan, assess dependencies, align React, add Expo only if present, then verify.
Read · Route (upgrading-react-native.md)
Downloads the template diff for your version pair and merges it by hand.
Fetches the diff from raw.githubusercontent.com to /tmp, treats RnDiffApp paths as placeholders, and merges instead of overwriting. It stops if the target version is not listed.
Runs code · Diff (upgrade-helper-core.md)
Checks library compatibility and proposes replacements, asking you first.
Uses npm ls and the React Native nightly tests and directory. Replacements such as react-native-fast-image to @d11/react-native-fast-image need your confirmation.
Write · Dependencies (upgrading-dependencies.md)
Aligns React and React 19 packages when react is upgraded.
Run only when the React version changes.
Write · React (react.md)
Runs npx expo install --fix, npx expo-doctor and sometimes expo prebuild --clean.
Used only when expo is in package.json. It skips app.json changes, because the workflow is not for Expo Managed projects.
Runs code · Expo layer (expo-sdk-upgrade.md)
Build gates, tests and behavior checks on iOS and Android.
Checks launch, navigation, Android edge-to-edge, permissions and resume paths. It can use the agent-device skill for runnable checks.
Runs code · Verification (upgrade-verification.md)
Scopes every command to one app folder with APP_DIR.
Reads react-native from the chosen package.json before anything else.
Read · Monorepo targeting

From the official docs

Permissions

Medium risk

The skill edits your app and runs installs, native builds and a few sudo commands. Use a clean branch, approve each command, and review the diff before you merge.

What it can do

Read your data
Create and change things
Delete things
Read-only mode

Watch out for

It changes many files and runs builds
The workflow edits dependencies and native config, then runs installs and platform builds. Work on a dedicated branch (the skill itself asks for a clean repo or upgrade branch) and review the diff before merging. github.com
Some listed commands use sudo
To fix a mismatched Xcode toolchain the prerequisites list sudo xcode-select -s and sudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch. Approve those yourself and only if you see the mismatch. github.com
expo prebuild --clean can regenerate native folders
The Expo layer runs npx expo prebuild --clean when native folders are part of the workflow. Commit first so you can recover custom native edits. github.com
It may ask you to install agent-device
For device checks the verification reference says to install agent-device through an approved path or ask you. Decide that yourself. github.com

Technical details

Talks to	raw.githubusercontent.com and github.com (rn-diff-purge diffs). react-native-community.github.io (Upgrade Helper, reference link)
Scopes	Edits package.json, lockfiles and native iOS and Android files in your app Runs package manager installs, pod install, Android and Xcode builds Prerequisite fixes use sudo xcode-select and sudo xcodebuild -runFirstLaunch

Questions

What does the upgrading-react-native skill do?

It makes Claude upgrade a React Native app step by step: pick the target version, fetch the official template diff, update dependencies in one pass, merge native iOS and Android changes, and check that both platforms build.

How do I install upgrading-react-native?

Use the install box above. The README's own command is npx skills@latest add callstackincubator/agent-skills --skill <name>, and it also lists plugin bundles for Codex.

Does it need an API key?

SKILL.md and its references name none. It downloads diffs from GitHub and needs your normal React Native toolchain.

Is upgrading-react-native safe to run?

It edits your project files and runs installs, builds and some sudo commands, so use a clean branch and approve each command. It also downloads template diffs from GitHub. The Permissions section lists the details.

Does it handle Expo?

Yes, as an add-on that runs only if expo is in package.json. It uses npx expo install --fix and npx expo-doctor, and prebuild --clean when native folders are part of the workflow. It skips app.json changes.

Does it test the app on a device?

Optionally. The verification reference suggests the agent-device skill for runnable checks, and says to install it through an approved path or ask you. Otherwise it falls back to human validation.

Information

updated Nov 2, 2026

Repository: callstackincubator/agent-skills
Folder: skills/upgrading-react-native

callstackincubator/agent-skills skills.sh

Sources

Docs, issue trackers and discussions this page is built from.

Show all 10

Callstack agent-skills README · github.com
Claude marketplace manifest · github.com
Building React Native Apps plugin README · github.com
SKILL.md · github.com
upgrade-helper-core.md · github.com
upgrading-react-native.md · github.com
expo-sdk-upgrade.md · github.com
upgrade-verification.md · github.com
upgrading-dependencies.md · github.com
README · github.com